Ogof Draenen Realm Of Baron Von Carno trip 14/04/2019
Unless otherwise stated, camera, setups, lighting, edits and gallery effects by Tarquin. Modelling and lighting at various points will be Celestine Crabbe.
This was my first visit to this series, intended as a memory refresher for the nearby Galeria Garimpeiros. It was found around 25 years previously, but sadly the survey of it is not available for purchase, descriptions of it were never made public, and the data is not available either. I had searched for the route into it back when it was discovered, but failed to find it. So when we managed to locate it on this trip, we decided to spend some time exploring the first part of it, to establish the description.
Selenite crystals in Gilwern Passage.
Selenite crystals.
Selenite crystals.
The squeeze from Gilwern Passage into Forever Changed, the start of the Galeria Garimpeiros extensions.
Modelling by Celestine
The tightest part, which passes below the boulder floor of Old Illtydian's Chamber.
Modelling by Celestine
Mud formations on the floor of Forever Changed. The single footprint is from the original exploration before conservation tape was added.
Lighting by Celestine
Brownout On Breadfruit Boulevard, the 20 metre duck (crawl where you get your face wet) in the Y Gwter Fawr streamway. This uninspiring passage is the way to the grandure of Saint Giles Series.
Collapse chamber above the terminal choke of Hearts Of Olden Glory.
Cryostal on the floor of the chamber. This is in the same beds, and same formation as Morgannwg Passage.
Solutional chamber to the side of the collapse chamber.
Rather poor cryostal in the mud.
The usual climb from Another World into Indigo Rift, which is a slippery aven. The route down into Violate Passage can be seen in the floor heading towards the camera.
Modelling by Celestine, lighting by Tarquin and Celestine
Indigo Rift, a rather awkward traverse on rock that likes to crumble away. Up ahead is a 15 metre bolted hole that joins some of the different levels.
Modelling by Celestine, lighting by Tarquin and Celestine
Stempled climb down into Violate Passage. The bottom section is undercut, and has virtually no footholds. Climbing back up without the stemples would be very difficult.
Modelling by Celestine, lighting by Tarquin and Celestine
Violate Passage, just after it becomes dry. This is the way into The Realm Of Baron Von Carno.
Modelling by Celestine, lighting by Tarquin and Celestine
An awkward climb/squeeze adds to the entertainment.
Modelling by Celestine, lighting by Tarquin and Celestine
The climb up leading to Kababarama Drama and Nevill Hall. The bottom 4 metres has no rope, and no handholds. Ascending requires chimneying on slippery walls, and is not easy. A rope would have been very welcome. The top 6 metres has a handline, but is easily free climbable without it.
Modelling by Celestine, lighting by Tarquin and Celestine
The rift at the top is a major passage for the series, but has no name.
Modelling by Celestine, lighting by Tarquin and Celestine
Stal in the ceiling.
Cryostal on the walls. This is a few metres higher than the end of Hearts Of Olden Glory, but appears to be the same deposit.
With the climbs having tired out my companion, I went on my own into Kababarama Drama. Just after the squeeze (more like a contortion over a boulder which may hurt certain body parts), these enormous blind acoves lead off above, with a short side passage.
The main large passage in Kababarama Drama, a diamond shaped passage reminiscent of Megadrive. However, the formation of this is likely different. Progress along this passage requires traversing over the deep rift in the floor, but the rift is wide enough to be uncomfortable for traversing. The passage is around 3-5 metres wide. At the far end, it almost connects with Indigo Rift.
Cryostal at the end of the large passage.
I then headed in the other direction along the passage, towards Nevill Hall, giving a very unrealistic estimate of 45 minutes. This turned out to be much too short, as I didn't have time to properly commit it to memory, and need to return, in particular to work out which climbs had handlines, and learn which junction leads to Passendale. This grotto is near the start of the route.
A spacious phreas that is very reminiscent of OFD. Sadly, it ends just up ahead, and requires a series of climbs to continue.
Cryostal on the floor of the phreas.
A chamber on the route, with a blind side passage on the right. There are three passages ahead, but the only one that can be followed is down in the crater in the floor. The other two connect to it via drops that cannot be climbed.
Cryostal in the chamber. There is a lot of it in this series.
Nevill Hall, the largest chamber (by area) in the series, with a side passage on the left. Through the window ahead is the second part of the chamber.
Nevill Hall's second part, looking back towards the window. These two parts of the chamber are very similar, both with an alcove on one side of the window.
The side passage to the left in Nevill Hall, which is rather beautifully sculpted.
The side passage ends in this large collapse chamber. Despite looking promising, there is not going to be much more passage to find here, as it almost connects to Pixie Meadows in Saint Giles Series.
Cryostal in the chamber.
The large passage continuing ahead beyond Nevill Hall. This is definitely not as small as the name of the series would suggest, and clearly, this series is much more interesting than I had been led to believe.
The large passage has some rather poor cryostal.
But it also has some very impressive cryostal cupped discs. Each of these are a couple of cm across.
The largest piece is about 5 cm across, making them the largest of their type that I know of in the cave.
The more normal cryostal bead clusters.
The passage then reaches a chamber with highly detailed mud formations.
A traverse gains the final pitch head. The pitch is 8 metres high, and covered in more mud formations. With no ladder (the one left at the pitch had rusted into tatters), I could not descend it, but the passage ends here anyway.
Mud formations at the pitch head.
Selenite crystals in Gilwern Passage.
Selenite crystals.
Selenite crystals.
The squeeze from Gilwern Passage into Forever Changed, the start of the Galeria Garimpeiros extensions.
Modelling by Celestine
The tightest part, which passes below the boulder floor of Old Illtydian's Chamber.
Modelling by Celestine
Mud formations on the floor of Forever Changed. The single footprint is from the original exploration before conservation tape was added.
Lighting by Celestine
Brownout On Breadfruit Boulevard, the 20 metre duck (crawl where you get your face wet) in the Y Gwter Fawr streamway. This uninspiring passage is the way to the grandure of Saint Giles Series.
Collapse chamber above the terminal choke of Hearts Of Olden Glory.
Cryostal on the floor of the chamber. This is in the same beds, and same formation as Morgannwg Passage.
Solutional chamber to the side of the collapse chamber.
Rather poor cryostal in the mud.
The usual climb from Another World into Indigo Rift, which is a slippery aven. The route down into Violate Passage can be seen in the floor heading towards the camera.
Modelling by Celestine, lighting by Tarquin and Celestine
Indigo Rift, a rather awkward traverse on rock that likes to crumble away. Up ahead is a 15 metre bolted hole that joins some of the different levels.
Modelling by Celestine, lighting by Tarquin and Celestine
Stempled climb down into Violate Passage. The bottom section is undercut, and has virtually no footholds. Climbing back up without the stemples would be very difficult.
Modelling by Celestine, lighting by Tarquin and Celestine
Violate Passage, just after it becomes dry. This is the way into The Realm Of Baron Von Carno.
Modelling by Celestine, lighting by Tarquin and Celestine
An awkward climb/squeeze adds to the entertainment.
Modelling by Celestine, lighting by Tarquin and Celestine
The climb up leading to Kababarama Drama and Nevill Hall. The bottom 4 metres has no rope, and no handholds. Ascending requires chimneying on slippery walls, and is not easy. A rope would have been very welcome. The top 6 metres has a handline, but is easily free climbable without it.
Modelling by Celestine, lighting by Tarquin and Celestine
The rift at the top is a major passage for the series, but has no name.
Modelling by Celestine, lighting by Tarquin and Celestine
Stal in the ceiling.
Cryostal on the walls. This is a few metres higher than the end of Hearts Of Olden Glory, but appears to be the same deposit.
With the climbs having tired out my companion, I went on my own into Kababarama Drama. Just after the squeeze (more like a contortion over a boulder which may hurt certain body parts), these enormous blind acoves lead off above, with a short side passage.
The main large passage in Kababarama Drama, a diamond shaped passage reminiscent of Megadrive. However, the formation of this is likely different. Progress along this passage requires traversing over the deep rift in the floor, but the rift is wide enough to be uncomfortable for traversing. The passage is around 3-5 metres wide. At the far end, it almost connects with Indigo Rift.
Cryostal at the end of the large passage.
I then headed in the other direction along the passage, towards Nevill Hall, giving a very unrealistic estimate of 45 minutes. This turned out to be much too short, as I didn't have time to properly commit it to memory, and need to return, in particular to work out which climbs had handlines, and learn which junction leads to Passendale. This grotto is near the start of the route.
A spacious phreas that is very reminiscent of OFD. Sadly, it ends just up ahead, and requires a series of climbs to continue.
Cryostal on the floor of the phreas.
A chamber on the route, with a blind side passage on the right. There are three passages ahead, but the only one that can be followed is down in the crater in the floor. The other two connect to it via drops that cannot be climbed.
Cryostal in the chamber. There is a lot of it in this series.
Nevill Hall, the largest chamber (by area) in the series, with a side passage on the left. Through the window ahead is the second part of the chamber.
Nevill Hall's second part, looking back towards the window. These two parts of the chamber are very similar, both with an alcove on one side of the window.
The side passage to the left in Nevill Hall, which is rather beautifully sculpted.
The side passage ends in this large collapse chamber. Despite looking promising, there is not going to be much more passage to find here, as it almost connects to Pixie Meadows in Saint Giles Series.
Cryostal in the chamber.
The large passage continuing ahead beyond Nevill Hall. This is definitely not as small as the name of the series would suggest, and clearly, this series is much more interesting than I had been led to believe.
The large passage has some rather poor cryostal.
But it also has some very impressive cryostal cupped discs. Each of these are a couple of cm across.
The largest piece is about 5 cm across, making them the largest of their type that I know of in the cave.
The more normal cryostal bead clusters.
The passage then reaches a chamber with highly detailed mud formations.
A traverse gains the final pitch head. The pitch is 8 metres high, and covered in more mud formations. With no ladder (the one left at the pitch had rusted into tatters), I could not descend it, but the passage ends here anyway.
Mud formations at the pitch head.